ABSTRACT:
People use different methods to make themselves happier, but their attempts at lasting happiness are often thwarted by the hedonic adaptation process. We examined changes in well-being over 8 weeks in participants who were involved in romantic relationships and those who were not. On average, both groups declined in well-being over time, but the relationship group experienced more positive emotions overall. High positive affect was predicted by higher aspirations, higher passionate love, and being in a same-ethnicity relationship. None of the variables we measured significantly predicted changes in positive affect over time, which may be due to the short duration of the study.